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FIVB16/08/2016

Athletes raise Volleyball House temperature

Rio de Janiero, Brazil, August 15, 2016 – While some spectacular beach volleyball and volleyball action has taken place on Day 11 of the Olympic Games, the Volleyball House has seen no shortage of activity.

Former Brazilian volleyball players Regiane Bidias and Valeska ‘Valeskinha’ dos Santos Menezes were at the Volleyball House today to support their colleagues on the Commission. Regiane was part of the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Japan while ‘Valeskinha’ played for the Brazil national team at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. She was named "Best Blocker" at the 2003 FIVB Women's World Cup in Japan, where the Brazilian national team claimed the silver medal.

They were joined by Dante Amaral, a former member of the Brazil men’s national team that won Olympic gold medal in Athens 2004 as well as the World Championship in 2002 and 2006. In both the 2004 Olympic Games and 2006 World Championship he was nominated as the best spiker, while he was the best blocker in 2005 World League.

Following on from the confirmation of The Hague as Beach Volleyball World Tour hosts for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Volleyball House received celebrated Dutch volleyball player Peter Blangé. Blangé represented his country in four consecutive Summer Olympics starting in Seoul, South Korea in 1988. In 1996 he won the gold medal in Atlanta, Georgia with the Dutch men’s volleyball team.

Meanwhile on the Copa Courts the presence of the Refugee team playing beach volleyball created quite the stir on Copacabana beach. It was opportunity for the delegation to take some time off from their rigorous training schedules and get a feel of Carioca life in Rio.